The present invention relates to an external catheter and applicator combination. Catheters for use in male urinary transport systems are well known and generally comprise an elastic sheath designed to surround the glans and shaft of the penis. The distal end of the sheath is typically, integrally formed with an outlet which is connected to a tube, the opposite end of which communicates with a urine collection reservoir. The present invention makes use of such a catheter, but does so in conjunction with a novel applicator means and thereby provides a novel combination which avoids and/or reduces many of the problems and drawbacks associated with known prior art external sheath-type catheters, and particularly those having an adhesive coating material applied to a portion of the inside surface of the sheath. The principal difficulties with such catheters arise upon application of the catheter to the glans and shaft of the penis and urine leakage due to improper application. For example, when preparing to apply or applying a sheath-type catheter having an adhesive-coated inner surface, care must be initially exercised to ensure that the adhesive inner surfaces of the sheath do not contact one another and that the sheath is evenly applied, without creating pockets, voids or wrinkles. In accordance with the teaching of U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,409, a sheath-type external male catheter having a portion of its internal surface coated with an adhesive material, is combined with a tubular applicator. More specifically, the external catheter is of the type generally described above. The applicator is in the form of a relatively rigid open-ended, tapered tube, the length of which is less than the length of the fully extended sheath, and the diameter of which is slightly greater than the maximum inside diameter of the unstretched sheath. The distal end of the sheath and its outlet and drainage tube are disposed within the tube. The cylindrical body portion of the sheath is everted over a portion of the outside surface of the applicator tube. So arranged, the outside surface of the sheath contacts the outside surface of the applicator tube, with the inner-side of the sheath, i.e., the side having the adhesive coating facing outwardly and hence not susceptible of contacting any other surface portion containing the adhesive coating. In applying the catheter, the portion of the sheath which is not everted, i.e., the distal end of the sheath, is placed over the glans and the applicator tube is slideably moved along the penile shaft, thereby causing the everted portion of the sheath to revert so that the inner surface of the sheath and adhesive coating contained thereon contact the penile shaft thereby securing the sheath to the shaft.
While the aforementioned combination applicator sheath catheter tends to avoid the drawback associated wtih the inner adhesive-coated catheter surfaces coming in contact with each other during application, it has been found that the force required to slide the applicator in the reverting step is relatively substantial and as a result is likely to cause the thin elastic sheath to tear. Moreover, as a result of the force required to apply the catheter and the friction between the applicator and the penile shaft, there is an increased potential for the patient to experience an erection, a condition which is exacerbated by the presence of the tube applicator, which to be removed must be slid down the swollen shaft and glans of the penis. Finally, said prior art device generally requires the additional processing step of providing a lubricant on the interior surface of the catheter to facilitate the application of the catheter sheath to the penis. Moreover, the presence of a lubricant adds to the overall problems associated with the application of the external catheter, i.e., removing any lubricant residue.
In accordance with the invention disclosed herein, the conventional sheath-type male catheter is combined in a novel manner with a novel applicator ring, which together renders the application process markedly improved. More specifically, the present invention substantially eliminates any likelihood of tearing the sheath; substantially diminishes the potential for erection since the sheath quickly and smoothly slides over the shaft of the penis; and obviates the need for a lubricant to facilitate application of the sheath.